Spirit Tales - Owney's Rum

Here's the story of Owney's Rum, named after a powerful prohibition gangster and Rum runner; made in NYC by local lass Bridget Firtle...

Owen 'Owney' Madden was a New York gangster when prohibition ('the noble experiment') came into force in 1920. He did very well out of the new laws: He bootlegged his own hooch, ran speakeasies and was a Rum runner, bringing Rum from the Caribbean into NYC. It was thanks to Owney that Rum became popular again in the City.

Nearly a century later, and New York born and bred Bridget Firtle is paying homage to Owney with her new Rum. She buys in molasses and distills it into a fragrant White Rum reminiscent of Rums made with fresh sugar cane. There are only three ingredients in Owney's Rum: Molasses, yeast and NYC water (filtered!). It's ideal for cocktails, so here are a couple of our favourites...